Best Life Index › States › Tennessee › Cities › Johnson City

Tennessee city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Johnson City?

What it costs to live in Johnson City, and how it compares with other Tennessee cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

32

33rd best value in Tennessee

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Tennessee cities.

Overall livability

36

30th overall in Tennessee

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Johnson City is home to about 69,521 people. A typical home runs $179,800 and a household earns around $47,200, a price-to-income ratio of 3.8. Among Tennessee's largest cities, it ranks 33rd for value and 30th overall.

Johnson City at a glance

Median home price

$179,800

28th in TN of 39

Median rent

$824/mo

Median household income

$47,200

Home price to income

3.8x

Unemployment

6.6%

30th in TN of 39

School rating

3/10

26th in TN of 39

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in TN of 39

Walk score

7/100

See your real take-home pay in Tennessee

Enter your salary and see your paycheck after Tennessee taxes.

Calculate my take-home pay ›

‹ See all top Tennessee cities ranked  ยท  Tennessee state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Tennessee only. Updated 2026.